Thu Aug  5 21:50:59 1999
From: Michael Frank 

	Listening to the sound, I knew something was wrong. The parking attendant
was gone several minutes, and now I could here the sound of a Diesel engine
being crank, crank, cranked. I ran back into the lot, to explain to the
poor fool how to glow a Diesel. 

	"Have you ever started a Diesel before?" I asked

	"I wait for yellow light, but it never went on." He answered nervously. 

	I get in behind the wheel. Sure enough, no glow plug light. I try to crank
the engine to life, but the pervasive smell of Diesel tells me the engine
is now flooded, on top of everything. It's been a long day, I'm tired, but
I lift the hood and roll up my sleeves. When the relay goes bad, you can
still glow the plugs by momentarily wiring the battery directly to the
first plug (I have the old, series style plugs). Problem is, I have no
wire. In the trunk, I find an umbrella, which I cut up with my pliers. I
try to short circuit the glow plugs with an umbrella stave. It melts in the
process, fortunately I'm not burned. What to do?

	I try to call AAA, but at 6:00 in Manhattan, I'm on permahold for 15
minutes with no response. I remember that there's a Mercedes number on a
plate in the glove compartment, why not give them a call? It's a twenty
year old car, there are six numbers on the odometer, I'm not the original
owner...buy why not, maybe it will work.

	 (One ring) "Hello, Mercedes Benz, how may I direct your call?"

	"I am having trouble starting my car, do you have a service desk?" I was
amazed that this 20 year old phone number actually worked. 

	"I'll connect you to Roadside Assistance, one moment"

	(Musak for about a minute)

	"Mercedes Roadside Assistance, how can we help you?"

	"My car won't start, I think I have a bad glow plug relay"

	"Year and model"

	"1979 300CD"

	"Phone number where you can be reached?"

	"917 xxx-xxxx" I give my cell phone number.

	"We'll beep a technician, you should be called within 15 minutes"

	Five minutes later, my phone rings.

	"Mercedes here, what's the problem?"

	"My car won't start: it seems to have a bad glow plug relay"

	"Diesel? I don't have repair  parts in the truck, but I may be able to get you started"

	"That will be fine" I am very, very relieved. We would have had a 45 mile
taxi ride to get home. Whatever the problem, I'm sure I can fix it in the
comfort of my own garage.

	"I have one service call ahead of you, I can be there in an hour. Is that OK?"

	"Perfect, we'll have dinner while we wait"

	The wife and I have a nice Italian dinner. Just as the check comes, my cellular rings. 

	"Mercedes. I'm on my way, should be about five minutes"

	Right on que, a blue and white ML320 pulls up just as we get back to the
lot. I bring the technician back to see the car. The relay is fine, it's
just the fuse. He shows me where the glow plug fuse is...I had no idea.
Shorts out the fuse while I start the car. From the moment the hood was
open until the engine was running: 5 minutes. We get home at a reasonable
hour.  Cost of road service: $0!!! Final tally: New fuse will cost $.50,
and I may need a new glow plug or two. 

	Why would you drive anything else?

Mike Frank
1979 300CD
1999 E320T